diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/AdaptiveRootView.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/AdaptiveRootView.swift
index 42f20d3..bf1daba 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/AdaptiveRootView.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/AdaptiveRootView.swift
@@ -46,9 +46,10 @@ struct CompactRootView: View {
     @State private var barHeight: CGFloat = 72
 
     /// The bar owns the bottom edge on the top-level tabs, but yields it to a pushed session's
-    /// floating glass chat bar — so it's hidden exactly while a session detail is on screen
-    /// (`openSessionID` is set by `SessionDetailView`'s appear/disappear, our animation trigger).
-    private var showsTabBar: Bool { store.openSessionID == nil }
+    /// floating glass chat bar (`openSessionID`, set by `SessionDetailView`'s appear/disappear) and
+    /// to the new-chat composer while it's up (`showNewChat`) — both slide it out, so the composer
+    /// doesn't just stack on top of a lingering tab bar.
+    private var showsTabBar: Bool { store.openSessionID == nil && !showNewChat }
 
     /// The "+" is inert without control scope or a project to start in, so it's shown only when a
     /// chat could actually be kicked off (mirrors `NewChatAffordance.canStart`).